Redox-neutral palladium-catalyzed C-H functionalization to form isoindolinones with carboxylic acids or anhydrides as readily available starting materials.

An operationally simple, Pd-catalyzed C-H functionalization is described for the synthesis of important and useful isoindolinones from readily available carboxamides and carboxylic acids or anhydrides. The reactions proceed efficiently with a broad range of substrates under redox-neutral reaction conditions and tolerate a diversity of functional groups. The mechanistic investigation suggests that the reactions involve C-H activation, nucleophilic addition, β-O elimination, and dehydration steps.